


5 Minutes, I Promise

by fisherman



Category: Pacific Rim
Genre: Action/Adventure, Bromance, Dorks in Love, F/M, Gen, Married Life, and doesn't know what to do about them, hermann has a lot of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 13:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1650302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fisherman/pseuds/fisherman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann goes on a heroic mission to get his pregnant wife some pickles.  Things get out of hand really quickly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I'll be Safe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Astrodynamicist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrodynamicist/gifts).



The Shatterdome kitchens were bathed in a frosty light at the twilight hours of two am. Vanessa Gottlieb was trying her best to stay quiet, she really was, but sometimes the call for pickles destroyed an individual’s need for civility.

            “Bloody-” Vanessa quickly grabbed at canisters of biscuit dough that started to topple out of refrigerator. She managed to grab three, but a fourth one rolled off of her swollen belly and clanged loudly on the cement floor. While she was thankful that it didn’t crush her toes, it did not stop her form swearing under her teeth.

            She set the three cans back in the fridge and looked on the floor to see where the can of dough had rolled. She had a bad feeling that it had rolled under the refrigerator. After awkwardly bending her body and crouching down onto her hands and knees, she saw that it had rolled under the sink, and not the refrigerator. As if that was good thing.

            Pressing her body as low to the floor as her belly would allow, Vanessa reached her arm under the sink and groped, squinting in the dark. Her hands scraped against the wet, mildewy tiles, making her shiver in disgust, until her hand clasped the canister. Vanessa tried to stand back up, but realized that it would prove to be a challenge.

            “Here,” murmured a tired voice. Vanessa looked up and saw Herman, wearing the powdery-blue silk pajamas she bought him two Christmas’ ago. One of his hands gripped his cane, while the other was held out in front of her. She grabbed his forearm, and with a grunt, pulled her self up. He placed his hand on her hip to steady her, and Vanessa took that as an invitation for more intimate contact. She pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek.

            “Did I wake you, love? Please go back to sleep, I was just getting something to eat,” she said. Hermann rubbed his eyes with his hand.

            “It’s quite alright,” he sighed. “I wasn’t sleeping that well anyway. Are you alright?”

            “Of course! Just hungry. I’ve got a big craving for pickles,” said Vanessa, glancing back at the fridge, “’cept there doesn’t seem to be any in there…Ah well.” She shifted her weight onto another one of her swollen feet, and pressed her forehead to Hermann’s shoulder.

            “Would you like to go get you some pickles? I think there is a convenience store down the street from here. I don’t think it would take me more than fifteen minutes,” asked Hermann. Vanessa stood there for a moment and considered his offer.

            “Um…no. No thanks, love, I’ll be fine. Maybe Alison and I will go out tomorrow and get them.” Vanessa smiled half-heartedly. Hermann wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

            “I’m going to go get you those pickles,” he whispered. He turned around and started to head out.

            “What? No, Hermann, it’s alright, it can wait till morning,” she pleaded, grabbing his wrist.

            “No it’s not,” he retorted, “Did you know, Misses Gottlieb, that you are a lousy liar? You say you’re all right but I know for a _fact_ thatyou’re going to be shifting around in bed all night craving pickles and not getting any sleep. Then in the morning you’ll be in a right state, which will put me in a right state, and then, I don’t know, the baby will be in a right state…or something.

            “Plus,” he added, nodding defiantly at her, “you’re wearing my pajamas.”            Vanessa glanced down. She was wearing an old _TU BERLIN_ shirt of Hermann’s, pulled taunt over her stomach, and beneath that, was also wearing a pair of Hermann’s glow-in-the-dark print pajama pants. They were adorned with constellations and rocket ships.

            “So?” she asked, “S’not my fault that you have comfy pajama pants that look cute on me. What does that have to do with anything?”

            Hermann shrugged.

            “Nothing really. I’m not good at arguing at 3 am. You are right though, they do look cute on you.” He glanced at the floor, his ears turning pink.

            “You say that about everything I wear,” she said, rolling her eyes and trying hard not to smile.”

“It’s true,” he stammered, “you could be wearing a plastic bag and you’d still look radiant.” Vanessa went up to him, wrapping her arms around his wiry frame. She gently put her lips against his cheek, and felt his chest press against hers and he took a sharp intake of breath.

            “I bet you say that to all the pretty girls,” she whispered. He took her hands, gently kissing her back.

“Other girls won’t talk to me,” he answered, smiling.

“ _Nerd_ ,” Vanessa hissed facetiously. Hermann gave her a look.

            “Oh really? _Really?_ _I’m_ the nerd? I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure I overheard you and Newton having a heated argument earlier over which kaiju had the best biological weapons. Or how about when we first arrived and you aided Alison and Tendo in the coding of those new jaegers? Or maybe when you first met Mako and the two of you stayed up till four in the morning discussing that one Japanese film…oh what was it called?”

            “ _Akira_ ,” mumbled Vanessa, not looking Hermann in the eyes as she drummed her fingers on her belly.

            “Yes, and _who_ promised me that they would look over my equations tomorrow and then go on a date to the science museum?”

            “This nerd right here,” Vanessa said, jabbing her thumbs in her direction. They both burst into laughter.

            “Shhh! Shhh, don’t laugh so loud!” Hermann placed and arm on Vanessa’s shoulder and tried to press a finger to his smile.

            “You’re the science officer! You’re the one who will get in trouble not me,” giggled Vanessa.

            They both quieted down and Hermann took Vanessa’s hand.

            “I’ll only be a few minutes. I can meet you back in the room?”

Vanessa swiveled her lips as she mulled it over.

“Fine. But you know how worried I get when you go out alone late at night. It’s dangerous out here; even the five-minute walk to the store is risky. ”

“I promise I’ll be safe,” said Hermann, heading out of the doorway.

Vanessa stood there a moment, arms akimbo, before Hermann poked his head back in the doorway.

            “Fifteen minutes. I promise. Love you.”

            Vanessa sighed, but couldn’t help but smile. She saluted him back.

            “Love you too.”


	2. I'm Not Afraid (Really)

 

It had been a long time since Hermann had been out of the Shatterdome on his own. Ever since the Breach had been destroyed, him and Newton had been kept busy organizing data and compiling every last scrap of information on the Breach and the Kaiju. While the promise of “going home early” had been made to most of the jaeger academy recruits, it was not so for the k-science and jaeger-tech departments. The news had been particularly crushing when he told his wife. All he really wanted was to be back home in London, sitting on his couch, drinking tea and holding his wife. But there were manuscripts to be written and dates to be transcribed and kaiju remains to be dissected, and there were only two men on the planet qualified to do that.

            Which is why, a couple of months ago, Marshall Herc Hansen had strode into the K-Science laboratory with Tendo Choi in tow, his boots pounding the floor and a scowl fixed on his face.

            “Doctor Gottlieb,” he barked. Hermann had been scribbling equations on his board and had dropped his stick of chalk in surprise. He quickly turned around, trying not to show any fear in front of the esteemed commander.

            As hard as the scientists were working, the only person working harder was Herc. He had been hounded by press and United Nations alike while trying to organize funding for the PPDC. He looked like he hadn’t had a proper nights sleep in the two months since the breach had closed, and –outside of a formal military funeral- he hadn’t allowed himself to grieve for his son. This left his temperament to swing wildly from hallucinatory giddiness to raging fury, with the occasional episode of sorrowful weeping. If not, he was almost constantly grumpy.

            “You win,” he huffed, glaring him down. “You and Mr. Choi here managed to whine long enough and twist my arm until I broke. Well I hope you both are happy. I expect the two of you to keep your affairs to yourselves, and so help you God if something bad happens and you sue the PPDC.” There was a moment of silence while he stared down at his shoes. He sighed and ran a hand back through his hair.

            “Listen, I understand…I think I understand -more than anyone in this whole damn building- what you and Tendo are going through. And I’m sorry to keep you here, I really am, but this place needs to keep running like a well oiled machine if we all want to get home before we’re all completely grey-haired. And I…” his voice trailed off for a moment, and he took a deep breath, presumably to stifle whatever emotions were screaming to get out.

“I know, if I could, I’d have Chuck and Angela at my side in a heartbeat.”

            There was a pause. Hermann glanced at Tendo, who was tight-lipped and refusing to make eye contact with him. He glanced at Newton, who was neck-deep in paperwork, and was looking at Herc with concern.

            “Well,” said Herc, clapping his hands together and forcing a smile, “maybe this is just what this place needs, a bit of motherly love. Ya…just exactly what it needs. Vanessa’s going to be a new mummy, right? I think in your dossier it said she was 4 months pregnant.”

            “S-six, now, sir,” stammered Hermann. He wasn’t quite sure what was going on. And what did his wife have to do with it?

            “Great. Splendid. Well, I’ve made arrangements and they’ll be flown out here this weekend. There are some double-room quarters that will be ready for you to move into. They’ll be required to take some Shatterdome safety courses, which I’m sure won’t be anything new to Allison,” he said, nodding at Tendo. “If all goes well, perhaps they’ll be good company for all of us.” He smiled for a moment. A truly sincere smile, before a scowl returned to take over his face.

            “ _Don’t_ make me regret my decision,” he demanded, turning and looking at Herman and Tendo. “Inside every grown-arse man is an idiot teenage boy who can’t wait to get distracted by a great pair of…legs. Until all is said and done, you are still employed by the PPDC, got that?”

Tendo and Hermann nodded.

            “Good. Very well then. Continue working. G’day,” Herc began to march out the door, “Tendo, you comin’?”

            “I, ah, actually need the Docs’ signatures for this press release,” he said, tapping at a tablet with a stylus. Herc nodded and left. Tendo turned to Hermann and opened his mouth, but Newton quickly interrupted.

            “The actual hell was that,” he said loudly, jabbing a scalpel in Tendo’s direction.

            “Keep your voice down,” Tendo hissed.

            “Normally I’d enjoy berating my lab partner,” said Hermann, slowly, “but I find myself in the same state of mind as him…what the hel- what on _earth_ was that conversation …and what does Vanessa have to do with it?”

            Tendo took a deep breath before answering, but was again interrupted by Newt.

            “Wait, wait, wait, wait, who is this Vanessa chick? Why is she six months month’s pregnant? OH MY GOD Hermann did you get some poor girl pregnant? Or is this like a robot surrogate? OH MY GOD Hermann did you get a robot pregnant? Hermann, there are better ways of acquiring offspring to teach your dorky-grandpa-ways.”

            “If you please Newton,” shouted Hermann, “Vanessa is the name of my _wife_. She is six months pregnant-”

            “Holy shit! You have a wife? Seriously?”

            “Yes, I have a wife, you’re not the first person to be surprised,” he added, his patience wearing thin. Newton was not ready to let up.

            “So, wait,” began Newton, closing his eyes, “how long have you been married to this woman? Why have you never mentioned her?”

            “Seven years. We-”

            “SEVEN YEARS?” Newt’s jaw was hanging open in disbelief, “Dude, _I’ve_ known you longer than that. Why don’t I know about this woman?”

            “If you’d let me ex-”

            “Dude, I’ve been inside your _brain,_ why didn’t I see her in there?”

            “I-”

            “Dude, no offense, but I don’t see how someone would want to marry you, much less let you get them knocked up-”

            “Mother. Of. _God_. Newton, _shut up_ ,” barked Tendo. He rubbed his eyes and made a face that looked like he was holding back a flood of frustration. Newt’s mouth shriveled shut, and he turned back to Hermann, who was looking expectantly at Tendo.

            “Our wives formed a coup,” Tendo said, rubbing at his eyes.

            “A coup?” Hermann took a few steps forward.

            “A coup,” repeated Tendo, setting his tablet down on a small patch of clear space on Newt’s table, “Alison was seriously ticked after I told her I wouldn’t be able to come home in…well…well there was no end in sight. According to her, your wife was feeling the same way.”

            Hermann nodded. He had also told Vanessa something similar a few months back after the breach had collapsed. At first everything had been fine, she was just glad that he had saved the world. Then she started calling him, moaning and crying, begging him to come home. Then after about a week after the canceling of the apocalypse, he had had an argument with her about him not being able to come home anytime soon. She had yelled into the phone that she had half a mind to fly to Hong Kong and drag him back to London.

            “So,” Tendo continued, “Vanessa and Alison put together this plan that they were going to get us to come home early. Somehow they managed to schedule a conference call with Herc –I think that was more of Alison’s doing- and they tried to convince him that we needed to come home.”

            Newton snorted and laughed, “Ha, fat chance he’d let that happen.”

            Tendo nodded, “Yep, exactly. Except-”

            “Except that wasn’t their main motive,” mumbled Hermann, his eyes going wide with horrific realization. Vanessa was smart. Nobody ever speculated that she was because of her modeling career and the stereotypes associated with it, but her intelligence could match, and in certain fields, best his. He should have seen this coming. Of course she was rational enough to realize that Herc wouldn’t just let him and Tendo go.

            “They pleaded with Herc, saying that _we_ had wanted to seem them so badly! That, we were, I dunno, falling apart without them. That, maybe, they could come stay at the Dome. Improve morale, or something.” Tendo shook his head for a moment, and started grinning. He glanced back up at Hermann.

            “So, I guess they pushed the right buttons, and he said, ‘sure, why the hell not?’ …Do you guys have any coffee in here?”

            “Oh, um, yes, it’s right over…Newton where did our coffee pot go,” asked Hermann.

            “Don’t worry about it, I’m on it!” Newton got up from his desk. He stretched and went bounding into a large pile of jaeger technology, Kaiju-filled jars, old computers, and his homemade Geiszler Array. While the loud sounds of shifting metal and clanging rang from the pile, Tendo and Hermann continued to talk.

            “I’m afraid that arm twisting might have been entirely Vanessa,” sighed Hermann, “it’s almost frightening what she’s capable of getting, when she’s in the mood.”

            “Here!” Newt came back from the pile, and handed Tendo a steaming canister of what resembled coffee. Tendo sniffed at it cautiously. Newt poured coffee into mugs for Hermann and himself. Stools were pulled up for Tendo and Hermann, while Newt shoved a stack of manila folders onto the floor, and then hopped onto his desk.

            “I mean, at the end of the day, I’m not complaining,” said Tendo, smiling, “I get to see Alison and the Choi-Boy again!” Newt laughed at the affectionate nickname for Tendo’s son. “It just sucks because I know Herc’s going to be breathing down my neck even more than usual. I swear, that guy has become my work-wife.” They all laughed at the thought.

            “Are you worried about Vanessa,” continued Tendo, raising his mug in Hermann’s direction, “I mean, it’s not like this place is model-friendly. I know Alison will feel at home here, but, I’m thinking Vanessa is-”

            “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. _Model_? Like a fashion-model? Like, like, um… _um_ …” Newton was struggling to think of something about the fashion industry.

            “Of course you know nothing of fashion,” chided Hermann, rolling his eyes,

“Do you really think I learned to dress this well on my own,” he added, gesturing to his earth-toned sweater-vest.

            “But, but _how_? How, I mean...hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwww-”

            “Newton, the complexities of love and romance and relationships have been discussed for millennia by scholars and poets and laymen alike: if you wish to know how I feel about my wife, and she about me, I recommend you consult some Shakespeare. Sonnets, mostly, I wouldn’t bother with Macbeth or Hamlet.

“To answer your question, Mr. Choi, I’m not terribly worried about Vanessa. She’s the most sensible woman I know, and can handle herself. And she’s always been good at adapting to new situations. I guarantee after being here a week, she’ll have made more friends than I have in the last ten years.” He stared at his reflection in his coffee, scowling at the shadowy, sullen figure looking back at him.

“Hm. Sounds like she and Alison will be running the place in a short amount of time. I can see it now, ‘PPDC Resurrected By Covert Team of Hot Moms’,” exclaimed Tendo, reaching his arm in front of him to read an imaginary headline, “More details on page three.” They laughed for a moment, before Newton turned to Hermann.

“So you’re gonna be like a Dad and stuff? That’s pretty rad,” Newton paused, and added sincerely, “Are you scared?”

Hermann had gotten this question a few times before, and had always answered differently depending on the questioner. It was strange answering Newt though. Ever since they had drifted, they would occasionally get emotional vibes form each other: even if he had said, “no I’m not scared,” Newton would be able to tell he was. Horribly, terrifyingly, scared.

“I, uh…yes, yes I am. A bit,” answered Hermann. Newton gave him a look.

“Oh, alright, I’m terribly afraid,” Hermann said, “Happy?”

Newt waved his hand dismissively, “I think you’re gonna be a great Dad.”

            Hermann was surprised by Newt’s words.

“Really? I mean, that’s not what I’m quite afraid of, but thank you. Well actually, now that you’ve mentioned it, being a Dad is quite an off-putting proposition.”

            “No way, dude,” exclaimed Newton, “I mean, I totally wouldn’t want you to be _my_ dad, but I think your going to get a kick out of being one. And, I guess, if your kid is going to be anything like you, you both will get along super well.”

            “Th-thank you, Newton. That’s very reassuring,” said Hermann. It might have been the kindest thing Newton had ever said to him. In fact, no, he was sure, it definitely was.

            “So what are you so afraid of,” asked Tendo, leaning back on his stool.

            “To be quite honest, I’m not sure. Well, no, actually, it’s, ah, a lot of things. Well, maybe a couple of little things. Or a lot of little things. I don’t know.” He hung his head in frustration.

            “It’s kind of, a fear of the unknown,” he continued. “It’s just a lot of questioning and speculation. It started off small, with the pregnancy: what if something becomes complicated? What if Vanessa gets hurt during the pregnancy? What if we miscarry? Am I being helpful to Vanessa and the baby?” He glanced up at Tendo, who was nodding in agreement. Hermann continued on.

            “And of course it’s all very worrying because I’ve been away for most of it. I haven’t been there when Vanessa has needed me. She sends me a new picture of herself every few weeks, and while she keeps getting bigger and bigger, I can’t help but feel like I’m just…not there.

            “And I worry what the futures going to be like. Back when I found out that I was going to be a Dad, I just kept thinking to myself ‘if only I can stop the kaiju, then my child will be safe’ but now the kaiju are gone and I’m still…I’m still really scared. My child could grow up and be sick.”   He saw Tendo’s eyes flicker down, towards his bad leg, but he ignored it.

“They could get hurt, or maybe someone tries to hurt them. What if my child hates me? What if the relationship I have with them is like my relationship with my Dad?”

            Newt and Tendo were silent. Hermann chewed the inside of his cheek, waiting for a response. He never used to open up like this. At least not to anyone except Vanessa. Maybe it was a side-effect from drifting with Newt. That man seemed to wear his emotions on his tattoo-sleeves.

            “Hmm. I’m not quite sure where that all came from. I, hmm.” Hermann wasn’t sure what to do with himself. He began to turn back to his chalkboards: back to numbers, silence, and cosmic reassurance through order and equation.

            “No, I feel ya man,” said Tendo. “I was the exact same way when Alison was pregnant. All these speculations and fears were eating away at me right up until the delivery room. And then the greatest thing in the world happened.”

            “What,” asked Newt, perhaps a little too eagerly.

            Tendo laughed, “Well, my son was born. And it’s kind of surreal you know? You wait nine months for this moment, and it’s over in a second. I’m wearing these scrubs and holding onto my wife’s knee, yelling at her to push, and she’s screaming her head off, mostly at me. And, my kid just kind of, slides out, right into the nurses arms. This entirely new human! And my poor, beautiful, strong queen of a wife is whimpering and sweaty but somehow also mega radiant…And, I, um… Where was I?”

            “‘Entirely new human’,” said Newt, listening intently.

            “Yes, right: Well here’s our baby, and he’s screaming and his body is kinda blue and he’s covered in blood and vaginal fluids, and he can barely open his eyes. He’s just kinda freaky looking,” Tendo paused for a moment, and smiled. “But I just forgot all my fears as soon as I saw him. You grow up during your life defining what is beautiful, and as soon as I saw him I threw whatever definition I had out the window. The nurse handed him to my wife and I was just so overwhelmed at how beautiful they both were. And I thought to myself ‘what did I do to deserve this happiness?’ But it wasn’t negative or, like, I wasn’t berating myself, it was more of, maybe, like a question that’s going to take a lifetime to answer.

            “So, I think what I’m trying to say is, I’m not telling you to _not_ be afraid. I can’t stop you from being afraid. But I guarantee that all your fears will disappear as soon as you see that baby. You’ll stand there and wonder ‘why was I ever afraid?’ Why would I ever be afraid of something that I love so much?”

            The room was silent. Only the sound of a soft tick from a clock on the wall could be heard. Hermann thought about what Tendo said. It lessened his worries ever-so-slightly, but he still couldn’t help but think, what if his child was the exception? The three men stared into their –now cold- cups of coffee.

            “Shit,” said Newton, “that’s heavy.”

            Tendo laughed and Hermann sniggered under his breath.

            “Ya well, I have the occasional moment of poetic inspiration,” laughed Tendo, flexing his neck and shoulders.   Hermann nodded and smiled, trying to hide how afraid he was.

           


	3. I Don't Know Cantonese (and I Really Wish I Did)

 

Hermann was wearing his massive parka over his silky blue pajamas, his slippers soaked from puddles on the asphalt, heading towards a neon sign that he had always presumed said “convenience store.” The rubber sole of his cane squeaked against the wet road, and he found himself panting in the humid Hong Kong air. He wasn’t sure if he had been outside the Dome since he had gone to aid Newton with baby Otachi. Forgetting the rest of the world existed when you lived inside a Shatterdome was easy.

            He pushed his shoulder against the glass door, a small chime ringing to announce his presence. The cold tile floor and florescent lights reminded him of the lab. There were even jars of specimens on the walls. Hermann smiled. There were pickled things everywhere. Now it was just a matter of finding the right kind of pickle.

            He approached the counter, where a small, old, Hong Kong woman was sitting. She stared at Hermann, following his every movement with a hawk-like gaze.

            “Ah, um, hello,” Hermann began. He wasn’t sure if she spoke English. The woman continued to look at him, unimpressed.

            “You wouldn’t happen to have any pickles would you? My wife is in dire need of them.” He added a smile, seeing if this would help his case. The woman said nothing, not even blinking.

            “Um, _pickles_? Do…do you understand? Do you speak English? Um,” he thought for a moment. “ _Ni hao_?”

            The woman furrowed her wrinkled brow at him. Apparently his Cantonese was offensive. Hermann continued to stammer, unsure of how he should get his message across.

            “Ah, um, _blast_.” He placed his hands in his pockets, trying to think of a way to tell this woman that he just wanted some vinegar-soaked cucumbers. While in his pocket, his hand came across something that might help him.

            Of course, his equation notebook! He pulled it out, along with a pen and his glasses, and began to draw a jar with pickles. He set the book on the counter and showed it to the woman.

            “See, pickles,” he gestured to the shelves and the jars. “Do…you…have…any?”

            The woman pulled out a pair of glasses that was even larger and cartoonier than his, and squinted at the drawing. She glanced up at him and then back at the drawing, and then back to him once more. Finally, she slowly nodded. She held up a finger, telling him to wait, got off the stool she was sitting on, and went to go inspect the shelves.

            Hermann waited, feeling quite proud of himself. He glanced at his phone: he still had five minutes until he promised to be back. Perfect.

            The old woman came back, carrying a very large jar filled with ochre liquid. Pressed against the glass seemed to be a mixture of fur and bird feet.

            Hermann furrowed his brow. Whatever was in that jar, he was sure he had seen it in one of Newt’s Japanese comic books that were always lying about in the lab.

            “Um, no,” he mumbled. The woman shook her head and shoved the jar across the counter towards him. The liquid in the jar sloshed aggressively. She held her hand out for money.

            “No,” said Hermann, “no, thank you. _Pickle_. Pick- _le_ ,” emphasized Hermann, pushing the jar away. He pulled out his notebook and began scribbling again, this time drawing one solitary pickle, garnishing it with grooves and the occasional pock-mark that is often seen on a pickle. Hermann made a mental note to carry a green marker in his pocket in the future.

            He shoved the drawing towards the woman once more. She huffed, annoyed, and leaned forward to squint at it. After a moment her eyes went wide, and she looked at him in horror. She shoved the book so violently away from her that it shot off the counter and spun across the tiled floor.

            “I beg your pardon,” snapped Hermann bending over and plucking his book from the floor, “This book happens to be filled with mathematical formula’s that aided in the salvation of the world from the kaiju!” He turned back to he woman who was still looking at him like he had grown a third eye. Hermann was beginning to wonder if he had done something wrong.

            He glanced down at that drawing in his noteook. It had just been a drawing of a pickle hadn’t it? What could have been so bad about-

            Oh.

            Hermann always new he wasn’t an artist, and he had been ok with that: everyone has their talents, right?

            Unfortunately this would have been an ideal situation in which having an artistic eye would’ve been incredibly useful. An artistic eye that would’ve aided in differentiating a pickle between another particular oblong shape that one shouldn’t be shoving in strangers faces at 2 am.

            “I’m, I’m so terribly sorry. Please, I just-,” stammered Hermann, taking a step towards the shop-keeper. She stepped back from the counter and yelled something in Cantonese towards a doorway on her right.

            The floor shook with the footsteps of what Herman assumed to be a giant. The jars on the shelves rattled loudly and dust fell front the florescent lights.

            Squeezing through the doorway was a behemoth of a man. He looked sheepishly at Hermann. The woman continued screaming, emphatically gesturing towards Hermann. The giant man let out a grunt, and stomped towards Hermann.

            Hermann tried to say something, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. The giant man towered over him, casting Hermann in shadow. Hermann felt himself being picked off the floor.

            “No, please, this isn’t really necessary,” he shrieked louder than he’d like to admit, “Please put me down!” The giant man pushed through the shops front door and lifted Hermann over his head.

“Wait, don’t! I’m a doctor, you can’t just do this!” With very little effort, Hermann heard the giant man grunt and propel him roughly ten feet way from the store.

Hermann did his best to hit the ground shoulder first, just like in primary school. He rolled across the gravel road, feeling small rocks tear up his knuckles, cheeks, and forehead. As he stopped rolling, he felt his cane roll out of his hand and continue to clatter loudly as it moved further away. He heard the clang of the shop door closing.

            His leg was pounding with pain and he could taste blood on his lips. He slowly sat up and looked down, frowning at the sight of mud-soaked pajamas. He winced as he flexed his bad leg: it was extremely soar and throbbing, but it should be able to get him home, albeit, slowly. He learned over and grabbed his cane, using it to support himself and he struggled to stand up.

            After a painfully long minute, Hermann was standing, leaning heavily of his cane. He squinted in the distance at the blinking lights of the Shatterdome. His glasses still, thankfully, hung around his neck, but when he put them on his vision was obscured by thin silver cracks in the lenses.

            Hermann groaned and reached into his jacket pocket, retrieving his phone. His stomach lurched when he squinted down at the broken screen and realized it wasn’t turning on. He jammed it forcefully back in his pocket, and decided that he would just have to bite the bullet and march painfully back into the arms of his worried wife.

            His wife. Hermann thought about how this was just another example of how he wasn’t helping her. Not providing, not helping, not “being there.” Most of their marriage had felt like him going through a revolving door; he had missed a large portion of her pregnancy; the PPDC still owned so much of his life; and now he can’t even do a simple task like buying pickles.

            Gritting his teeth and wallowing in a pool of self-loathing, Hermann decided to trudge forward towards the hazy lights of the Shatterdome in the distance.

            He had made it about ten painful steps across the parking lot, when he heard the dull boom of a bass system in the distance. Bright head-lights were flashing across buildings and the rain-slicked road. Hermann squinted at the car that was blaring towards him.

            The wheels of the car crunched against the gravel as it came to a stop in front of Hermann. He looked at his reflection in the tinted window.

            The window slowly rolled down and Newt stuck his head out the window.

            “Get in loser, we’re going shopping,” he demanded. For once in his life, Hermann felt reassured by Newt’s grating, raspy American accent.

            “You alright Doc?” There was a silhouette of someone behind the wheel waving at him that sounded an awful lot like Tendo Choi.

            “Hermann! You look like shit; get in!” Newt reached behind his chair and pushed the back door open.

            Hermann slowly got in, wincing as he pulled his bad leg up into the car. He pulled the seatbelt across his lap.

            “Ouch,” Newton exclaimed, grabbing his own leg.

            “You like the ride?” Tendo was beaming. “It’s a 1950 Bentley. Brand new engine, paint and sound system.” He patted the dashboard affectionately. “It’s mine and Alisons baby. Herc has been letting me work on it with her when I have time off. Al’s done most of the work, isn’t it fantastic?”

            “It’s a beautiful car, I’m sure, Commander Choi. Sadly my enthusiasm for automobiles is not as strong as yours and your wife.” Hermann glanced over and realized he wasn’t the only person in the back seat.

            “Oh, ya, me and Alison’s other baby,” said Tendo, smiling. He twisted his body and reached back to wipe his babies nose with a cloth, “He was showing symptoms of a cold a few hours ago and now he refuses to go to sleep. We’re off to get cold medicine.”

            “I was awake and bored and decided to come along!” Newt chimed.

            “How convenient that we happened to cross paths then! Vanessa was craving-”

            “Pickles. We know.” Newton was texting on his phone, filling the car with an eerie blue glow.

            “Yes…how do you know?”

            “You know I think Alison and Vanessa broke into your lab and used the Gieszler Array, I swear. I wake up to Alison trying to sooth Jian and she’s all like ‘Hey you need to go get cold medicine and Vanessa needs you to go get her boo. He hasn’t come home yet and went out to get pickles a while ago yadda yadda yadda.’ I think she either met-up and talked with her at some point around three am, or maybe they communicate telepathically. I don’t know. Regardless, here we are.” Tendo squeezed the steering wheel and gave Hermann a tight-lipped smile through the reflection in the overhead mirror.

            That was his Vanessa, always looking out for him. Why couldn’t he do the same?

            “I daresay she has a telepathic connection with _me_. I probably would’ve ended back up at the Shatterdome when the sun rose, crawling on my hands and knees.”            

Newt’s phone chirped and lit up, “That’s Vanessa! She knows you’re with us.”

            “Good. Will you tell her that my phone is dead and that I’m sorry.”

            “And that you’ll be home soon and you love her very much, ya sure thing, you dorky little love-booger.” Newt was rapidly tapping out a message on his phone.

            Tendo put the car in drive and soon the convenience store was out of sight. The neon glow from the Bone Slums loomed down the coast, as they wound down the streets. Hermann looked over occasionally at Jian, who faded in and out of sleep, sniffling and whimpering. Hermann pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the babies nose. He looked up at Hermann with large dark eyes, which were glassy from crying, and calmed down. Hermann allowed himself a satisfactory smile.

            “Like I said, you’re gonna be a good dad.” Newt had been watching him the entire time.

            “Wiping a nose does not qualify one for parenthood.” Hermann stuffed the handkerchief back in his pocket and sat back in his seat. “Newton put your seatbelt on!”

            “See? Great parent,” smiled Newt, clicking his seatbelt in.

            “Newton, for the love of- You need to wear your seatbelt. If we crash-” Tendo snapped.

            “I know, I know, I’ll go crashing through the windshield and break into a thousand pieces and die.”

            “Pff, hell no I don’t care if you die: do you know how hard it is to get blood out of upholstery? Also, word to the wise, gentlemen: Alison does not know I took this car out. She thinks that I am in one of the PPDC jeeps. We are going to keep it that way, understand? So no wiping boogers on the seats; no fogging up the glass and writing profanities; no feet on the dash; and you all wear seatbelts, ok? When we get back to the dome this car is going to be exactly the same.”

            “Lying to your wife, Tendo? You don’t seem like the type.” Tendo couldn’t see Hermann, but he could hear his smirk.

            “I’m not _lying_ , I’m just…postponing the truth. She’ll find out. Someday.”

            The drove on in silence, the smooth hum of the car lulling them to sleep.  All except for Tendo, of course, who was very carefully sipping a somewhat-illegal form of coffee from a travelers mug.

           

 


	4. I'm Not Going to Panic

 

            Hermann’s eyes flickered open when they were in the heart of the Bone Slum. Glaring, pink and yellow neon signs bleached his retinas, and even at three in the morning, the streets were still busy.

            Tendo pulled up to a curb and parked the car. He smacked Newton on the chest and got out. Newton, who had been gently snoring and had a line of drool coming from his mouth.

            “Idontwannagotopianopracticemmmmmmhello?” Newton jerked awake and rubbed his eyes, “Are we here?”

            Tendo grabbed his son from his car seat and strapped him to a baby bjorn against his chest. Hermann got out and looked around. It was the first time they had been back since Baby Otachi. Hermann knew that if he walked and turned down a few more blocks, he would be right back where him and Newton had drifted with the baby kaiju.

            “If we walked and turned down a few more blocks, we’d be right back where we drifted with that baby kaiju…What?” Newton was staring at Hermann, who was squinting back at him incredulously.

            “Spooky, isn’t it?” Newton swung one of his legs forward and hopped into the curb, making his way towards a shabby looking door that had the tiny words “convenience store” printed on it.

            Hermann followed Tendo and Newton through the doorway, and was relieved to see what looked like a much more conventional convenience store. He saw Newton bee-line towards the shelves full of cheesepuffs and chocolate-glazed mini-donuts. Tendo was walking down a medicine aisle, while gently bouncing Jian and kissing the top his head. Hermann walked down the aisles, past bags of chips and candy, until he finally found what he was looking for. He picked up a jar of pickles, smiling at the swirling green concoction inside.

            “A lot of trouble for such a small thing, right,” said Newt, who was stuffing mini-donuts into his mouth.   Hermann shrugged, too tired to answer properly. He cradled the jar in his hand, thinking about what Newton said. It wasn’t a lot of trouble, really. In actuality, it didn’t feel like enough.

            Hermann’s heart was suddenly racing. He was terribly afraid, except… no… not quite. He, himself, was not afraid. Hermann glanced over at Newton, who had dropped his box of mini-donuts on the floor and was rushing towards him.

            “Get down!” Newton dragged Hermann to the floor, much to Hermann’s dismay.

            “Newton please! My leg aches, what is the meaning-”

            “Ssssssssssh! Please for the love of all that is holy Hermann do _not_ say my name out loud.” Newton shoved Hermann down the aisle, trying to get him to hide next to the freezers.

            “What is the meaning of this,” Hermann hissed. One of Newton’s pudgy hands clapped itself over Hermann’s mouth. Hermann could taste chocolate and sweat, and tried not to gag, knowing how often Newton didn’t wash his hands.

            “Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, _please_ ,Hermann. For once in your life don’t chastise me, just _shut up_.”

            Hermann looked in Newton’s eyes. Instead of mischievous glee in those two hazel orbs, was unadulterated fear. They were hiding behind a shelf filled with soda, and Hermann couldn’t help but feel like the source of all of Newton’s fear, was directly in front of it.

            Hermann leaned over, attempting to see what the cause of Newton’s fear was. Newton grabbed the hood of his parka and violently whipped him over, causing Hermann’s head to smack right into Newton’s chest.

            “What are you two doing?” Tendo was standing over them, arms akimbo.

            “Shh!” Newton grabbed Hermann’s cane, which had been abandoned on the ground, and yanked at Tendo’s knee with the curved end. Tendo fumbled and collapsed to the ground, his arms wrapped protectively around Jian.

            “What the hell, asshole!?” Tendo was livid. Newton ignored him, and instead attempted to smash his hands over Tendo’s mouth.

            “ _Shhhhhh_! I really need everyone to just _shut up_ right now!” Despite his urgency, Newton was whispering.

            Tendo opened his mouth to object, but Hermann silenced him with a look. Tendo knew better than to question Doctor Gottlieb when he was in agreement with Doctor Geiszler.

            “We need to leave _now_ , ok?” Newton was looking desperately at them both. Hermann nodded, and Tendo, while exasperated and confused, also nodded.

            Slowly and carefully, Newton began to belly-crawl towards the exit.

            “Is he serious,” mouthed Tendo. Hermann shrugged. Being at his wits end with Newton was now commonplace for him.

            Newton had made it to the door and was violently waving Hermann and Tendo towards it. Hermann struggled across the tile floor. It was dirty and his leg was in painful objectification of the whole charade. He finally made it next to Newt, and looked back to see Tendo hunched over and coming after them.

            “What a beautiful baby.”

            A man, who had to be at least six feet tall, wearing gold shoes and a fire-truck red suit, stepped in front of Tendo. His back was to Newton and Hermann. Hermann felt the full force of Newton’s fear, and suddenly knew who the man was.

            “Ah, thanks,” Tendo came out of his crouch and smiled nervously, “Me and the, ah, wife made him all by ourselves.”

            The man’s mouth twitched into a brief smile. He held out his arms.

            “May I?”

            Tendo’s eyes looked the man up in down, desperately trying not to look at the doorway. He knew it probably wasn’t the best idea to hand your child over to a menacing giant at three-thirty in the morning, but he felt like it would somehow be worse if he didn’t.

            Lifting Jian out of the baby bjorn, he gingerly placed him in the man’s hands. The large man gently shushed Jian as he began to whimper.

            “It’s alright, I don’t bite,” reassured the man, flashing gold-capped teeth. This did not improve Jian’s feelings about him. Jian began to howl. Tears streamed down his face and snot bubbles burst around his nose. Newt and Hermann looked on in silent horror.

            “Sorry, sorry!” Tendo quickly grabbed Jian from the man’s arms, and used his sleeve to clean up his snot.

            “Not a problem,” said the man, “as I recall, babies do not have much of a fondness for me. Wouldn’t you agree, Doctor Gieszler?”

            Hermann heard Newton swear under his breath. Within a second, both him and Newton were surrounded by the man’s henchmen, the gaping black holes of pistols directly in front of their faces.

            “Guess who’s back you four-eyed bitch.” The man slowly turned around, swinging his legs as he made his way towards Newton and Hermann.

            “I must admit, I did not wake up this morning thinking I would run into you in a convenience store in the Slums, yet here we are.” He glanced down at a pocket watch -which looked ridiculously small in his large hands- and sighed.

            “Man, I am seriously tired. Is anyone else tired?” The man turned around and looked at Tendo, who was pressing Jian to his torso. He turned back to Newton, Hermann, and his goons.

            “I’m pretty tired boss,” chimed in a goon.

            “Me too: super sleepy!” Another goon nodded.

            “Of course: it’s 3 am, boss,” laughed another goon. The goon, stretched and did an over-the-top yawn, making the others laugh.

            “Sounds like we could all use a good rest. How about a sleepover? We could invite some friends.” The man nodded at his goons. One of them brought a gun crashing down over Newton’s skull. He groaned and fell to the floor.  

            “Wai-” Hermann began to shout, but he felt pain explode in the back of his head. The world blurred and the last thing he heard was Tendo screaming for help.


	5. I Guess This is it

 

“Hey, he’s waking up!”

            Hermann’s head was swimming with pain as he flickered his eyes open. The world was still somewhat blurred, but they seemed to be in some giant foyer.

He tried to move but quickly realized that his hands were cuffed behind him, and his back was against some kind of table.

            “Hermann, Hermann dude you feelin’ ok?”

            Hermann groaned.

            “Good, ’cause I feel like shit.” Hermann’s head began to clear –more likely due to the fact that Newton was wide awake- and he realized that Newton was tied up on the opposite curve of the table, directly across from him, a grin spread across his face.

            “This isn’t funny Newton.” Tendo was tied to the center of the table. Although, for a moment, Hermann wasn’t sure it was Tendo. His normally cheerful features were gone. Replacing them was a venomous, dark mask. He flicked his eyes over at Hermann.

            “They took Jian. Chau didn’t want to deal with a baby, so he had me hold Jian while one of his cronies blind-folded me and kept poking me in the back with a gun. As soon as we got here they took him away…” Tendo’s eyes brimmed with tears, and he choked back his emotions, “They…they knocked me out, I don’t… I don’t know where he is or how long we’ve been here.”

            Hermann watched, helplessly, as tears ran down Tendo’s cheeks as he tried to stay calm and not panic. The man who was normally in control, who had successfully seen the operations of various jaegers and the destruction of the Breach, was now having an emotional meltdown.

            “Newton,” Hermann said quietly, “this ‘Chau’ fellow…is this the same man from the Kaiju-brain escapade?”

            Newton nodded.

            Newton stared at the floor. Hermann felt his guilt from across the room. He felt the metal of the hand cuffs bite into his wrists as he strained against them.

            Tendo continued to sob. Hermann hand never been terribly good at consoling others, but he might be better than Newton, who couldn’t interact with people without a embarrassing himself or shrieking.

            “Commander Choi…um, Tendo?”

            Tendo kept his vision locked on the floor, but had managed to stop shaking as hard.

            “I…” Hermann wasn’t quite sure what to say. ‘Don’t worry, it’s going to get better?’ No, because it could very well not get better: they could all end up dead in a ditch somewhere with their necks broken.

            “Tendo…right now, we need to try and escape. And find Jian, of course. In order to do that, Newton and I will need your cooperation. Could you please try to gather yourself?”

            Tendo slowly nodded, and Hermann breathed a sigh of relief. Usually it was other people (Vanessa) calming him down. Tendo leaned his head forward and wiped his nose across his knee.

            “I…I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared before,” he choked. “Not even on K-day or Anchorage or when we closed the Breach. What if he hurts Jian? We if he…?” Tendo’s shoulders were shaking.

            “We’re getting out of here,” piped up Newt. “And we’re going to get Jian, kick ass, and take names.”

            “Spoken with eloquence as usual Newton,” sighed Hermann. He felt the handcuffs bite against his wrists again.

            “A very inspiring speech, Doctor Gieszler.”

Hannibal Chau walked through a golden-arched doorway, slowly descending a few steps and coming to stop in front of them. Jian was in his arms, sleeping. Hannibal opened his mouth to speak, but Tendo interrupted him.

“Did you hurt him!?” Tendo blurted.

“No. But if you keep interrupting me, I might.” His voice was low and menacing, as he rocked Jian back and forth. Tendo shut his mouth, looking at Hannibal with pure venom.

“Now boys,” began Hannibal, “I like to consider myself a fair, reasonable, business man. All of this,” he gestured to their bound limbs and the score of gun-toting lackey’s, “really isn’t necessary.”

Hermann looked at Newton, who was itching to say something sarcastic. Hermann managed to qualm that urge with a look.

“I’d really love to open up a negotiation, how about it?” He nodded to a few of his men, who walked over and non-too-gently undid the cuffs around their wrists. Hermann ignored the pain in his leg as he was hoisted to his feet.

Immediately, Tendo shoved the lackey out the way and made his way towards Hannibal. Without hesitation, Hannibal’s goons responded, pointing their guns at him.

“Tendo don’t!” Newton was being restrained by one of the lackey’s.

Tendo stopped, but kept his eyes locked on Jian. Hannibal slowly, almost sadistically, pulled his butterfly knife, and pressed the point of blade into Jian’s cheek.

“Ya, that’s right, Tendo, _don’t_.” Hannibal waited, his face unreadable. Tendo took a step back.

“Please don’t hurt him,” he whispered softly.

“Like I said,” answered Hannibal, putting the knife back in his pocket, “I am a business man, and nobody has to get hurt this evening.” He snapped his fingers, and a lackey came up to him. He dumped Jian in the lackey’s arms and turned back to face Tendo, Newton, and Hermann.

“Gentlemen. Believe me when I say, I don’t have any beef with a PPDC. But the fact of the matter is, the PPDC double-crossed me, and that upsets me. I don’t like being double crossed…Who does, really?”

Hermann’s eyes flickered over to Newton, who raised his eyebrows.

“You see, I was told by Marshal Pentecost that I had to help the PPDC recover kaiju parts, which I did. And I was told –by the Marshal- that I would get paid for my services, ignored by the police, and given free access to all the left-overs.

“As of recently, I haven’t gotten paid for the last kaiju job I performed, and all the kaiju leftovers, of which there are now little to none, were confiscated by the PPDC.”

Newton hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Uh, well, we kind of thought you were dead, so…”

“You shut up you little shit! I’ll get to you in a moment!” Hannibal took a deep breath and massaged his temple.

“I’m afraid, Chau,” began Tendo, dead-eyed, “that you’re shit out of luck. Marshal Stacker Pentecost was killed when the Breach was closed. Whatever agreement you had with him no longer exists.”

“I’m getting real sick of people interrupting me, especially with information I already posses…Fang?” Hannibal beckoned a woman over to him. She swept past him and moved in front of Tendo. In one graceful and swift movement, she kicked him in the stomach, and then swung her foot in his face. Tendo crumpled to the floor, groaning as a string of blood dripped from his mouth.

“Now where was I?”

“You were screwed over, boss,” said Fang.

“Yes that’s right.” Hannibal took a moment to gather his thoughts. He opened his mouth, but then decided against. Instead he turned to Hermann.

“Who the hell are you?”

Hermann was taken aback.

“I-I-I-” he stammered. Although he was wearing sunglasses, Hermann was sure Hannibal was squinting at him.

“I-I-I? Are you friends with this Mr. I-I-I?” Hannibal looked accusingly at Newton.

Newton looked at Hermann. While they had only drifted once and were not nearly at the level of telepathy most of the Rangers were, they still shared the same resounding thought:

“Um, ya,” said Newton said, his eyes flickering back and forth between Hannibal and Hermann, “Dr. Gottlieb is… well he happens to be my, um, colleague.”

“Colleague, huh?” Hannibal walked back towards Hermann, arms on his hips as if Hermann was a minor thorn in his side. Which wasn’t far from the truth.

“You a little kaiju-lovin’ freak, like Four-eyes?” Hannibal nodded towards Newton.

“Not particularly,” muttered Hermann.

“Huh. You look like something I used to pick out of my teeth during recess back in grade school,” Hannibal said, putting his gold-capped teeth in Hermann’s face. Hermann said nothing, and tried to not be too offended by the smell of Hannibal’s breath.

“Alright! Here’s my plan,” boomed Hannibal facing Newton. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. Without turning back, he pointed it at Hermann’s head.

“Wait! Wait just one moment!” Hermann tried to keep his voice from shaking, but now it seemed like he was reliving the drift: bits of his life flashing before his vision as he begged for his life.  

“Don’t hurt him!” Newton screamed, attempting to wrestle out of his shackles. Hannibal rolled his eyes. Not that anyone could see it.

“Listen, I’m tired. All I want my money. Really, _I’m_ the victim here. I don’t know why you guys are complaining. So I’ll make this simple for the three of you: I know you’re bullshitting me,” he pointed at Newton, “You think I just ignored your existence after the Breach was shut down? I watched and read every interview with you, and every recording of your stupid lectures, I even sent my boys to the Shatterdome garbage bins to sort through them, looking for your used napkins!”

“That’s little creepy,” Newton mumbled.

“Shut up!” Hannibal shook the gun more aggressively at Hermann, “You wanna know what I found out?”

“What…did you…find out…you psychopath,” wheezed Tendo, whose face was resting in a puddle of his spittle and blood.

“That pinworm,” he said, jabbing his gun a Hermann, “Is that losers drift partner!”  

“So?” Newton attempted to sit a little more upright, “Ya that’s right: we’re drift partners! What does it ma-”

“It matters,” hissed Hannibal, walking over to Hermann. He pushed the muzzle of the gun into Hermann’s forehead. Hermann shuddered and tried not to throw up.

“It matters because I want my money and I want _you_ to _suffer_ ,” said Hannibal eerily quiet, “And, due to the effects of the drift, I know that putting a bullet through his skull will be tremendously more painful than putting a bullet through your’s.”

“Please,” whispered Hermann, “please sir, I…please I have-“

“He has a daughter!” Newton screamed at Hannibal, “I mean, he’s going to have a daughter! Holy shit, dude, a little girl? That’s so great!” Newton smiled at Hermann, as tears brimmed his eyes, “I thought you were going to keep the gender a surprise?”

“I can’t keep secrets from you,” answered Hermann, glancing up at the gun that was drilling itself into his temple.

“Jesus, are you crying?” Hannibal groaned.

Newton rubbed the tears away against his shoulder and sniffed.

“Hey man, these aren’t my tears, they’re his!” Newton nodded at Hermann, “He never expresses himself when he’s sad or scared so I get all of his suppressed feelings instead, and I- _ah_!” Newton suddenly barked out in pain and doubled over as much as his handcuffs would allow.

“Now what,” barked Hannibal.

“I…I…the stupid barriers are breaking!” Newton looked at Hermann, and Hermann could feel it too. When Newton had first gone through his mind, he had been given access to everything: Hermann’s hopes and dreams; his darkest fears; his most precious memories. But some memories had been more precious than others. And while they had been planted in Newton’s head, Newton had yet to get past the barriers Hermann had planted around the people he feelings he kept closest to his heart.

“Oh…Oh god, Hermann,” Newton mumbled, “ _that’s_ why you didn’t tell anyone?” Hermann kept his eyes on the ground, refusing to look Newton in the eye. His head was buzzing the same way it did during the Drift. He felt hot blood run over his lip and tasted it’s bitter, metallic taste in his mouth.

“I mean, I know people can be bullies, but…you could have explained it to me. I know I teased you when you first told me about Vanessa but…but I would’ve understood it dude,” Newton said softly, “I wouldn’t have made fun or tell you that’s she’s out of your league or that you two were incompatible.” Newton squeezed his eyes shut as another flood of memories came crashing down, “Holy shit, your dad is an asshole! Why would he say that to her? _God_ , people are shit heads. Have they really said all of those things? Even the way they looked at you two walking down the street.

“I’m so sorry.”

Hermann was silent for a moment.

“It’s-”

“Oh shut _up_!” Hannibal cut off Hermann before he could continue. He pressed the gun against Hermann’s temple, making him bang his head on the metal table leg he was tied too.

            “You two are gonna make me yak! If I don’t get a bank account number in the next five seconds, his head is coming off! Five-”

            “No!” Newton was pulling against the table, “No, please!”

            “Four-”

            You bastard! We not don’t know-” Tendo struggled to get off the floor, but Fang slammed her foot down on his back.

            “Three-”

            “Please Chau, please don’t! This is just between you and me!”

            “Two-”

            “Vanessa, Vanessa I’m so sorry,” Newton sobbed, his accent having a significantly more English lilt.

Hermann squeezed his eyes shut tight, until there were stars.

 _I wish I could have at least met her, please take care of her, help Vanessa_ , he thought.

 _Don’t say that, please don’t say that, don’t leave me_ , sobbed Newt.


	6. I Want This to End

 

There was suddenly a loud, muffled boom, and the building shook. Hermann’s heart skipped a beat. He refused to believe he was still alive for a few moments.

            “The hell was that?!” Hannibal wind-milled his arms, barking at his goons.

            “It felt like an explosion, boss!” Said one of them.

            “Well don’t just stand there, moron, go look into it! It sounded like it came from the garage downstairs! You! Unlock Doctor Geiszler.” A handful of Hannibal’s goons hesitantly headed towards a dooway. One goon quickly trotted over to Newton and undid the lock on his handcuffs.

            Hannibal stomped over to Newton and grabbed him by the collar, spitting in his face.

            “Is this your doing? The last time this shit happened, you made a booty call to some kaiju and they came looking for you!” Hannibal slammed Newton down on the steel table, knocking the wind out of him.

            “I…I don’t know…what’s going on,” Newton managed to sputter.

            There was another loud bang and some screaming echoing from the stairwell in the doorway. Hermann could see the fear being etched into Chau’s face, but it quickly turned into fury. He turned and snatched Jian from his lackey’s hands, and shook the baby in Tendo’s direction.

            “One of you better tell me what’s going on within the next few seconds or else I’m going to throw this kid out the window!”

            “Wait, don’t!” Newton shrieked, as he fell off the table.

            “Please, we have no idea what going on, please don’t hurt him,” howled Tendo, and he struggled to get up.

            Hannibal turned to Hermann, a snarl etched into his face. Hermann could see his own terrified reflection in Chau’s dark glasses.

            “I- I- I don’t know! I don’t know what’s happening!”

            They paused as they heard more screaming coming from downstairs. There was another, smaller explosion, followed by some gunfire.

            “You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch, let go of my son!” Tendo attempted to stand up, but was thoroughly beaten by Fang until he collapsed onto the floor, struggling for breath.

            Hermann could feel the effects of the Hive mind that Newton and him had inherited from the kaiju begin to slip away. He glanced once more at Newton.

            _Do you know what that is?_ He pleaded.

            Newton shook his head. Another explosion, even closer, shook the building. The lights flickered and went out.

            Damnnit, damnit, _damnit_!” The sounds of a large, angry, mobster struggling to make his way around a dark showroom were barely heard above gunshots, screams, and Jian’s crying.

            “It’s ok Jian, Daddy’s here!” Yelled Tendo, trying to get up again. There was the sound of feet scuffling across the floor. Hermann tried to curl up into a ball and be as small as possible.

            “Three point one four one five nine two six five three-”

            “Dude are you whispering pi again? There are seriously better ways to face uncertainty.” Hermann could barely make out Newt’s grin in the darkness. He felt Newt grapple with the handcuffs on his wrists.

“Almost got it…Dude, you have bony wrists.”

“We can discuss how thin my body is later, if you please. Ouch!” Hermann winced as the cuffs pulled against his blisters!

            “Got it!” There was a small click and the jingle of metal as Hermann’s cuffs fell to the floor. Hermann clung to Newt’s arms as he hoisted him up.

            “Gotcha Herms!” It was the most relieved Newton had sounded all evening.            

            There was a clunk, and the hum of a generator, and the lights flickered back on. Over the sound of Jian’s crying and the groan of the generator, were Hannibal’s snarls.

            “You!” Hannibal pointed his gun at Newton. Hermann gasped and felt gravity pull him back to the floor as Newton shoved him away.

            There was a click, but it didn’t come from Hannibal’s gun. Hannibal froze as the nose of a rifle slowly rose above his shoulder, dragging itself along the edge of his face.

            “I recommend,” said the rifle’s holder, “that you take a moment to think about what your doing. Think _real_ hard.”

            Hermann dared to look up and noticed more people holding guns. Most of Hannibal’s men and women were on their knees. Some of their new captors were maintaining them while the others had their guns fixed on Hannibal.

            “Now, I want you to set your gun down on the floor, real slow like, got it?”

            Hannibal bent his knees, lowering his gun to the ground. It hit the marble floor with an audible clack.

            “Doctor Geiszler!” A small hand waved from behind Hannibal.

            “Um, yes?” Newt answered.

            “Will you please come retrieve Mr. Chau’s gun and Commander Choi’s baby?”

            “Oh, ah, sure thing.” Newton shuffled over to Hannibal and pulled the still –sobbing Jian from Hannibal’s arms. He stuck his tongue out for good measure while he gently kicked the gun over towards Hermann. The gun glided across the floor and gently bumped against Hermann’s leg. He grimaced: he never liked guns.

            “It’s alright little dude, I got you. Damn, you smell.” Newton tried to coddle Jian, but to no avail. Without hesitating, Tendo hobbled over to Newton, arms outstretched.

            “Daddy’s here, Daddy’s here, Daddy’s here,” murmured Tendo. He sank to the floor, tears running down his face.

            “Ain’t that a sight.”

            Hermann looked up and saw Marshal Hansen walk through the doorway through a screen of smoke that had creeped up from the garage.

            “Everything clear downstairs,” Herc spoke into a walkie-talkie. “Alright please prepare an ambulance we have injured hostages.”

            “I’m fine sir. I think I might’ve just broken a rib or two-” Tendo said.

            “Not you Commander Choi. I said we have injured _hostages_.” Herc nodded at Hannibal.

            “What is this?” Hannibal barked at Herc.

            “You shut your mouth, bitch! No one gave you permission to talk!” The Rifle-holder pressed their weapon closer to Hannibal’s head.

            “Permission, sir?” Asked the voice behind Hannibal.

            “Permission granted,” answered Herc.

            Like a flash of lighting, the Rifle-holder cracked the butt of their rifle across the back of Hannibal’s head. Hannibal groaned and crashed to the floor making the room shake.

            “Teach you to steal my baby, bitch,” huffed the Rifle-holder. Hermann glanced up and saw -much to his surprise- Alison Choi.

            Alison walked across the room, purposely walking on top of Hannibal’s large body, making her way towards Tendo. She was a petite Indian woman with a fire in her eyes, who could take apart a gun in 5 seconds and breakdown a jaeger in less time then that. Tendo and her also could cut a rug on swing dance nights in the Shatterdome.

            “Alison! Alison what are you…” Tendo trailed off as Alison got on her knees and picked up Jian. She pulled her jacket off and placed it under Tendo’s head, and gingerly kissed his forehead.

            “My brave, brave man. You ok?”

            “I think I’m internally bleeding, but I’ll be alright.”

            “There ya go. Suck it up, weenie,” she smiled. Her face changed completely when she turned to Herc.

            “Marshall Hansen, I need a stretcher!”

            “The EMT’s are on their way up Officer Choi.” Herc walked towards Newt and Hermann.

            “You boys alright? Wouldn’t want the entire science department to go belly up because of bruises and scrapes.” Herc clapped a hand on Newt’s shoulder.

            “Nah,” squawked Newt, “takes a little more than head damage and emotional trauma to keep the K-Science bros down! Ain’t that right, Hermann? By the way, who made those bombs? I didn’t think the PPDC had anything that small. Hermann?”

            Newton glanced over and realized Hermann was still sitting on the floor, his legs drawn up to his ears, in state of bewilderment.

            “Hey, you alright dude?” Newton bent down and helped Hermann stand upright.

            “I …he almost shot me in the head. I almost _died_ ,” Hermann whispered. Newton was tight-lipped while Herc nodded.

            “Facing death is scary,” said Herc, “but it’s alright Doctor, you-”

            “Alright!? It is most certainly not alright! And I wasn’t just facing death- I was facing my whole life: gone! No growing old with Vanessa; no watching my daughter grow-up; no more friendly diatribes with Newton! No more math and discovering the universe!” Hermann’s heart was pounding and he was starting to feel queasy.

            “Hermann, Hermann, Hermann: you-are-a-live,” said Newton, grabbing his shoulder’s and grounding him, “You _are_ going to grow old with Vanessa –and become the nerdy, crabby, old-dude you were destined to be; You’re going to watch your daughter grow up! And you’ll even do something like dance at her wedding! And I’ll be there too, but as a dj and supportive uncle! And, hell, we’ve already had some diatribe in the last few minutes, so checkaroo on that! And there’s always going to be more math and universe to discover- and it’s all-right-in-here,” reassured Newton, jabbing Hermann in the forehead.

            “Thanks Newton, I suppose I needed to here that,” said Hermann in a small voice, staring at his ruined shoes.

            “Good, good,” added Herc. “If you’d boys would like to go down stairs, we have a car ready to take you back to the Shatterdome or the hos-”

            “Oh shit!” Newton exclaimed.

            “‘Oh shit’ wha-” before Hermann could finish he doubled over and threw up on the floor.

            “Just yack it all up there, buddy,” Newton said, rubbing Hermann’s back. He smiled at Herc.

            “Hermann’s a nervous barfer. Which kinda sucks, but luckily thanks to our drift-hive-mind-thing we’ve got going on, I have like, psychic-puke powers and know when he’s gonna hurl before he does. It’s been a life saver, really.”

            Herc opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out for a while.

            “Just,” he began, “just meet us downstairs. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

           

 


	7. Where is He?

 

Vanessa stared out of the tinted windows of the armored car she was sitting in. She drummed her fingers over her pregnant stomach. Baby Gottlieb had settled down awhile ago, but she hadn’t. The doctors had warned her that moving to the Hong Kong Shatterdome wasn’t a very wise decision, as it would cause unnecessary stress on her and the baby, but she knew that being away from Hermann for so long would have been worse. And really it hadn’t been all the bad. She had loved meeting Marshal Hansen, and Tendo; catching up with Alison and talking about babies and soldering irons; meeting the famous jaeger pilots Mako and Raleigh. Meeting Mako had been especially fun.

Fashion was something the young pilot had never dabbled in before: always being so focused on revenge. After the Breach was closed, Mako had been thrust into the media’s all-seeing eye, and while Raleigh had his baby face and his cable-knit sweater, Mako just had an old PPDC jumper and some blue streaks. Luckily, Vanessa could work with that.   They’d spend the whole day out in downtown Hong Kong, Vanessa pulling out her debit card and telling Mako to pick out whatever she liked.

            Vanessa smiled. She didn’t think she would ever be friends with a jaeger pilot, but now here she was, tapping out a message to Mako on her phone.

           

**Mako:** _You ok?_

 

            Vanessa chewed the inside of her cheek.

 

 **Me** : _Ya fine. Go back to sleep. Well be back at the Dome in 30 min_

            Vanessa hit send and let out a sigh. She stared at the entrance to Hannibal’s garage on the other side of the street, and glanced back down at the clock on her phone.

            “They were supposed to be back ten minutes ago. What do you think? Where could they be,” she whispered. Being at home with hardly any company except for the growing baby in her tummy found Vanessa talking out loud a lot. And while her baby had yet to answer, she knew she would someday.

            Vanessa’s phone lit up again.

 

 **Mako** : _Okay!!! Stay safe, we’ll see you soon!!! Call Raleigh or me if you need help!!_

 

            She smiled and texted back a small smiley face. Her phone quickly lit back up again.

 

 **Mako** : _Should we put-off our pancake breakfast? Maybe have pancake dinner instead?_

            Vanessa smiled again, quickly typing out another message and stifling a yawn.

 

 **Me** : _Ya, sorry, I’m pretty sure everyone on this mission will be sleeping in tomorrow! If you need me you can find me snuggling with a grumpy mathematician._

**Mako** : _lol, true!_ _J_ _See you! Good night/morning!_

            The phone turned off, plunging the car into darkness. Marshal Hansen didn’t usually include non-PPDC personnel on reconnaissance mission like these, but since she had moved to the Dome, Vanessa had become an exception to just about all of Herc’s rules. Vanessa stared out the window, keeping her eyes peeled for movement. She had heard the bombs go off and had heard gunfire. She tried not to feel nauseous.

“They’re all coming back,” she said out loud, “Daddy, and Newton and the Marshal and Tendo and Al and baby Jian; they’re all walking back out of there. And then we’ll go home and go to bed, right love?” She drummed her fingers on top of her belly. Over the years, Vanessa had gotten better about worrying over Hermann, but ever since his drift with the kaiju and the world quite-nearly ending, the over-worrying she had done in the beginning of their relationship had resurfaced. The sounds of gunfire and bombs going off weren’t reassuring either.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find them and bring them back safe,” Alison had said. At the time, when Vanessa had been riding with her towards the Boneslums in an armored car, it had seemed like Alison barely believed those words herself. Vanessa could see the pain in her eyes.

Vanessa wrapped her arm around Alison and pulled her close. Alison had a bad habit of burying her emotions, opting instead to hide behind sarcasm or her go-to attitude. Alison wordlessly rested her head on Vanessa’s shoulder, and very slowly placed her hand over Vanessa’s baby bump.

            “What will I do if they’re hurt,” she whispered, trying to hide the shaking in her voice, “What will I do if they’re- they’re…” Alison bit her lip and buried her face into Vanessa’s shoulder. Vanessa glanced up and realized Hercules hand been staring at them. Her heart broke to see the expression on his face: a parent who did know the answer to Alison’s question.

When they had reached the Boneslums, Alison had put her game face on again, with a rifle in her arms, promising she would haul “Hermann’s skinny ass and Newton’s fat ass” back to her feet. Vanessa had been instructed to stay in the car, and she would be contacted as soon as the situation was dealt with.

“What if something…What if the mission doesn’t follow the predictive model?” She asked Herc.

“You sound just like your husband,” he answered, shaking his head and smiling. Vanessa watched them turn around, and head towards the hide-out.

 


	8. I Can Feel my Heart Breaking

 

Vanessa’s eyes adjusted to the light of the neon pink sign to the right of her. She saw a portly man walk up to a door underneath the pink sign. He unlocked the door and pushed in, flipping the sign on the inside from closed to open. For a moment, Vanessa thought nothing of it, until she saw something in the front window that made her stomach growl.

            “Oh heck yes,” she muttered. Quickly, she scooted over the cars seats and flung the door open, sliding off the chair and being mindful to not let her feet land in the dirty gutter water. She slammed the door shut and headed towards the shop.

            A small, electronic bell chimed when she walked in. She quickly grabbed her desired item from the store-front window and hurried to the front counter.

            “Can I get these pickles please!” Vanessa found herself panting- it was cumbersome to move that quickly with a belly that big. The storeowner squinted at her, having only just woken up. He nodded and held a up finger a he poured himself a cup of coffee. He gestured to her and then to the coffee.

            “Oh, no thanks! This baby doesn’t like coffee, sadly,” she said, waving her hand dismissively and then placing her hand on top of her stomach. The man nodded, but then squinted at her. She happened to be wearing a bullet poof vest, which looked comically tight over her huge belly. Vanessa smiled and shrugged.

            The exchange went quietly, as most 5 am convenience store exchanges do. Vanessa handed the man a ration card, and then gathered the jar to her chest. He nodded and waved as she left, and she flashed him a smile that had graced hundreds of fashion magazines. She quickly walked back outside.

            In the muggy Boneslum air, Vanessa quickly unscrewed the pickle jar lid (which she had gotten good at due to Hermann’s absence), and pulled a soggy pickle from out of the sloshing vinegar mess on the inside. She brought it to her mouth, and took a bite.

            “Mrs. Gottlieb!”

            Vanessa looked up. From the other side of the street waved Herc with a banged up duo of scientists. Newton waved enthusiastically at her, and started to run a little faster. Hermann stopped dead in his tracks.

            From his point of view, he saw brilliantly large woman wearing pajamas and a bullet proof vest. There was a pickle halfway out of her mouth, and her frizzy dark hair was piled on top of her head. With the pink neon lights around her, she looked ethereal.

            “Vanessa!” Called out Hermann. He detached himself from Newton, and he swore he felt Newton push him forward. His body ached and his nerves were shot, but it didn’t stop him from attempting to run towards his wife.

            There was the sound of glass shattering as Vanessa dropped the jar of pickles to the ground. She tossed the pickle from her hand and the jar from the other, the sound of shattering glass reverberating in her ears.

            “Hermann, Hermann, Hermann!” Vanessa’s voice rose each time she called his name. She moved as quickly as her baby would allow, which was not quickly at all. Hermann’s broken body and Vanessa’s growing one both hindering their reunion.

            Vanessa reached her hands out and pulled Hermann towards her.   She felt tears bite at her eyes as she pressed Hermann’s body as close to her she could. She felt Hermann’s hands pressing on her head and back, cradling her, telling her that he was safe.

            “You _promised_ ,” she said with a shaking voice, “you promised me you would be safe.”

            Hermann was buried underneath a curtain of Vanessa’s hair, his cheek pressed against hers. It was warm and dark and wet from tears.

            “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t safe. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m _sorry_.” Hermann stood their, holding onto his wife like she was his last lifeline to the ground they stood on. He listened to his wife’s ragged sobs and could feel her pregnant belly pressed against him. He felt his baby move and he hugged his wife tighter.

            “Don’t be sorry,” Vanessa whispered, “Just please stay with me. Don’t leave me again. I can’t do this without you.” Hermann felt a lump rise in his throat.

            “I won’t leave you. I’m going to stay right here,” he reassured her, looking her in her glossy, red-rimmed eyes. Vanessa smiled through her tears and leaned forward.

            “Ah! No, wait, don’t kiss me!” Exclaimed Hermann, keeping Vanessa an arms length away.

            “What the bloody hell, Hermann, are you serious!?”

            “He just threw up everywhere- there were chunks and it was green,” yelled Newton, running over to them.

            “I don’t think she needed the details, Newton,” snapped Hermann. He turned back to Vanessa to see that she had started laughing.

“C’mere you!” She said, reached over to Newton, pulling him into a tight hug. When they broke away, Vanessa scowled and flicked his nose.

            “Ouch! What’s that for!?”

            “ _You_ said you’d get him home safe! You’re in just as much trouble as he is!” Vanessa wiped tears from her eyes and put her hands on her hips, “Newton Gieszler I ought to throw you to the Rancor pit!”

            “The PPDC cannot afford a Rancor pit at this time, Misses Gottlieb. If there’s any disciplining that’s going to occur, please allow me,” said Herc, running up to the three of them, “Doctors, do you need anything at this time, otherwise I have to clean up…this,” he said, vaguely gesturing to Chau’s half-ruined building.            

            “Nah, we’re good. Miss Humpty-Dumpty will put back together again,” answered Newt, nodding towards Vanessa.

            “That doesn’t make sense in the context of the nursery rhyme,” Hermann whispered under his breath. He felt Vanessa fingers intertwine with his, which helped to dispel his grumpy attitude.

            “Yo Hermann check your sass at the door,” snapped Newton, “Whoa wait where did the Marshal-mello go?” Without saying anything, Vanessa walked up to him and forced his face onto her chest.

            “Rest my head upon my bosom, love: you need to go to bed. Thank you for keeping my husband safe as well as you could.” Vanessa gently kissed his forehead, and hugged him again.

            Newton grinned and, as if in an after thought, leaned forward and kissed Vanessa’s cheek.

            “Thanks ’Nessa. I…” his voice trailed off, a little unsure of himself. Newton wasn’t used to Vanessa’s unconditional kindness yet. “I…” He glanced over at Hermann, who was smiling, but had an almost desperate look of want in his eyes.  

            “I’m going to leave you two alone so you can…recover, I guess,” said Newt. He flashed one more smile before wandering off towards the armored van that PPDC officers were climbing into.

            Vanessa turned around and walked with Hermann towards the curbside. They helped each other down onto the curb, Hermann groaning in pain while Vanessa had to lower herself down using the street lamp.

            “We look ridiculous,” grumped Hermann as he took his wife’s other hand to help her down.

            “Oh love, don’t think that way: in the fashion world, you just have to think that you’re above everyone else. Not in a cruel way, of course, but never hate yourself. All your mishaps are intentional to make the world a better place. And should anyone look down on yourself, just think, ‘whatever: I am amongst the stars; you can’t even get your head out of the dirt.’” Vanessa rested her head on Hermann’s shoulder. For awhile they sat in silence, holding hands, watching the PPDC and the Hong Kong police point and delegate and bark orders at each other. Vanessa kept running her fingers along Hermann’s fingers and knuckles, thinking about how much work those hands had done and how many equations had sprung from them.

            “Are Tendo and Alison and Jian alright?” Asked Vanessa.

            “Hmm? Oh, yes, they’re just fine.” Hermann’s fluttered his eyes open. “Tendo was roughed up a bit, but I think they’re going to be fine.” Hermann squeezed Vanessa’s hand and they continued leaning on each other, breathing until their heartbeats were in synch.

            “Vanessa?”

            “Yes?”

            “I love you. I’m sorry I haven’t really been here for you. I…I feel like I’ve abandoned you, and no matter how hard I try…,” Hermann choked on his words, and Vanessa wrapped her arms around him, “I…I almost died tonight and I couldn’t stop thinking about all the times I was stuck in a lab or scribbling down formula’s while you were alone on the other side of the planet. Now you’re here, and I’m _still_ stuck in a lab, and I’m too afraid to be with you because I hate myself for being away for so long.”

            “I don’t feel that way,” whispered Vanessa. She reached up and wiped the tears off of Hermann’s cheeks, “I think you’re a hero. I hate that you spent time away, but I love that you did it to save the world. I love that you stood up to your father; I love that you took a chance and threw caution to the wind; I love that you put up with everyone’s ilk and disbelief and trusted yourself and your numbers; I love all the sacrifices you made; I love you too, Hermann darling.”

            There was another moment of silence. Hermann sniffed and Vanessa hugged him tighter.

            “I am your wife: don’t ever be afraid to approach me Hermann. It breaks my heart to know you felt that way. You don’t ever have to hide because you don’t think you’ve been here for me. Do you know how elated I feel when I see you walking down a corridor towards me? Or when I hear you bickering with Newton all the way from our quarters? Even when you send me a text message asking me if I want white or fried rice with dinner, I fall in love all over again.”            

            Vanessa kissed him on the temple.

            “So please…don’t hide from me. Let the walls come down. I love you so much Hermann.”

            Hermann buried his face in the crown of Vanessa’s head. For a moment he listened to his ragged breathing, Vanessa’s calm humming, and the chaotic sounds of police sirens and police officers yelling in the Boneslum morning air.

            “I won’t hide. Not anymore. I love you Vanessa.”

 


	9. I'm Back

“What! Really!?”

            “Oh, let me guess, you find it so hard to believe that a fashion model could know her way around some TATP?” Vanessa raised an eyebrow at Newton and folded her arms, resting them on her belly.            

            “Ya, right, ’Nessa, I’m totally gonna judge you on that. Please, I’ve known you for two months, I know you’re just as dangerous in the lab as you are on the runway,” said Newton, stifling a yawn and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Hermann smiled and squeezed Vanessa’s hand. He was leaning against her, eyes closed, hand intertwined with hers as if she was his security blanket.

            “I’m just saying,” continued Newton, “you made all those bombs in just an hour after we’d gone missing? That’s incredible.”

            “Well, _I_ couldn’t make the bombs,” she said, gesturing to her belly, “That wouldn’t have been safe. No, I just delegated a task force. It’s easy to make a lot of bombs when you use the power of teamwork and friendship,” she said sarcastically.

            “‘Teamwork and friendship,’ my ass,” snapped Alison, trying to wrap a diaper around Jian. He was laying out on a stretcher, sleeping peacefully at his Dad’s feet, who was also in a deep sleep.

            “You made those PPDC agents your personal bitches. She was all ‘No you have to use the metric system or else you’ll kill everyone in here’ and ‘bloody ’ell guvna don’t chew know the diff’rence atween glycerin’s?” Alison tossed the dirty diaper into a trashcan near the other side of the ambulance.

            “Since when do I have a Cockney accent?” Asked Vanessa, who didn’t see Hermann grin and cover his mouth. Alison ignored her.

            “Vanessa was literally the most boss bitch up in the dome as we were leaving. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pregnant             lady wearing space pajamas and a bullet proof vest look more threatening.”

            “Shit, I believe that,” said Newton, nodding in agreement. Vanessa shrugged.

            “There were husband’s and kaiju groupie’s that needed to be saved: I just put my brave face on,” she mumbled bashfully.  

            “Hey Marshal,” said Newton, turning to Herc. Hercules was in the front seat, driving them back towards the Shatterdome. He looked up and blinked a few times at Newton.

            “Yes Newton?”

            “Why don’t you make Vanessa an official K-Science officer? I know, I know it’s more money, but she’s obviously a kick-ass chemist, and lord knows I could use a chemist to help me break down some of the kaiju remains. Plus she’d keep Hermann from yelling at me I’m sure-”

            Hercules raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth, “Doctor Geiszler, I-”

            “No, hear me out man: everyone in here can attest to Vanessa’s kick-assery. She’d make a great addition to the K-science team if you’d only give her a chance! I think-”

            “Doctor Gieszler-”

            “No! No, just listen,” Newton turned to Vanessa, “Nessa, I know, and I’m sure you know even more, that people keep shitting on you because you’re a fashion model and you’re gorgeous and society has cultivated us to believe that you can’t be both super smart and smokin’ hot…which is an obvious lie,” he added, running his fingers through his hair, “I mean, I’m guilty of judging you too on that, and I’m am sorry...to both of you.” Newton glanced at Hermann and Vanessa, with a truly apologetic look on his face.  

            “It’s alright, Newton, we’re quite used to people’s judgments,” reassured Vanessa.

            “That’s why we ditched the wedding rings so many years ago and don’t tell people about our marriage,” added Hermann, snuggling closer to Vanessa.

            “Shit! Are you serious,” yelled Newton, “That’s why you don’t tell people you’re married? Because they can’t think that a model and a mathematician could possibly work out?”

            “It goes a bit deeper than that, but yes, that’s one of the basic ideas,” said Vanessa, nodding.

            “That is such bullshit! People are such assholes” Barked Newton.

            “Stop yelling, Newton!” Hissed Alison. Jian squirmed in their arms and whimpered, but quickly fell back to sleep.

            “Newton, it’s fine,” whispered Vanessa, “Hermann and I are used to it. We keep our wedding rings on chains around our necks, and when we tell you about our marriage, it just means that we trust you a lot.”

            “You’re in our inner circle: amongst the Hermann-and-Vanessa-elite,” added Hermann.

            Newton glanced at the floor, thinking about what they said, not completely convinced that keeping your married life to yourself was a healthy way to respond to bullying.

            “Well, if anything, it’s all the more reason for Vanessa to join the K-Science team. Hermann and Vanessa are already a dynamic duo; Hermann and I are drift partners; now what would happen if Vanessa and I teamed up to do some science? We could probably discover so much about the kaiju and be able to resurrect the entire K-Science program! Please Hercules, you gotta offer her a jo-”

            “I already did,” said Herc, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.

            “What!? Really, when did you do that?”

            “When Vanessa first arrived here,” he sighed, “I did a bit of digging and found out that Vanessa was quite the chemist back in college. After I convinced Doctor Gottlieb to open up to me, he lauded over Vanessa’s scientific mind and achievements in her chemistry field.”

            “Lauded?” Vanessa asked quizzically, looking down at Hermann. He said nothing, but smooched Vanessa’s shoulder.

            “As soon as the plane landed and Alison and her had a meeting with me, I offered her a job. As you said, she would have been assisting you, Newton, in the deconstruction, cataloging, and preservation of kaiju parts. In enough time I would have had her heading projects to neutralize the toxicity of Kaiju Blue and possibly looking into alternative fuels and materials for the Mach-5 and 6 jaegers.” Hermann looked up into the mirror, looking straight at Newton.

            “I’m not quite the over-bearing fascist you think I am Doctor Gieszler,” he said, “I know a genius when I see one.”

            Newton sat there dumbfounded for a moment.

            “So wait,” he began, turning back to Vanessa, “why haven’t you been working for us then?”

            “Because I enjoy being a model, Newton,” laughed Vanessa, “You have to do what you love, right? I practiced chemistry a while back because I could. I model because I _need_ to.

            “Don’t get me wrong,” she added, “making those bombs and being with you and Hermann in the lab for the past few months has been particularly invigorating. But, if you haven’t noticed Newton, I’m about to have a baby, and I’d like to focus on that. Maybe a few years down the road when the fashion industry says I’m too old to model, then sure, I’ll come and spend hours upon hours in a lab dissecting bioluminescent acid glands with you…but for now I’d like to be with my husband and daughter for a bit.”

            “I suppose that’s fair,” said Newton, looking a bit disappointed.

            “Oh, cheer up Newton. She’s in the lab everyday anyway.   Quite frankly, I enjoy conversing with her pretty face and mind much more than your’s,” said Hermann, sitting up straight.

            “Quite frankly, Doctor Gottlieb, you’re an asshole and you can go eat a bag of baby carrots by your self while ’Nessa and I create a really cool kaiju-jaeger hybrid that also wears cute outfits,” he retorted, flinging an elastic medical glove at Hermann’s face.

            “We’re home, everyone,” announced Herc, pulling into the Shatterdomes giant garage. Herc turned around to so he was facing everyone in the cramped ambulance.

            “Now I want everyone to head inside and go to bed. No questions asked. PPDC orders. Understood?”

            “Yes, sir,” everyone responded. Hermann and Vanessa simultaneously saluted Herc.

            “Are you going to head to bed, sir,” asked Alison, giving Herc a look.

            “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” sighed Herc, quickly getting out of the ambulance to avoid more questions.

            Everyone climbed out of the ambulance. Alison handed Jian to Newton and helped Herc pull Tendo out on the stretcher. Vanessa and Hermann and got out last. Vanessa held out her hand and helped Hermann down.

            “Ah, wait!” Hermann’s legs bent and her dropped to the ground. He sucked air through his teeth in pain.

            “Newton, help me!” Vanessa struggled to get Hermann back up. Newton quickly handed Jian back to Alison and hopped into the ambulance, pulling out a folded up wheel chair. He helped pick Hermann up and set him in the chair.

            “I’m afraid my body’s had quite enough for today. Herc’s right, it’s time for bed. Sorry to frighten you,” he said, resting his head against Vanessa’s stomach. Vanessa let him rest their, placing her hand on his head and mussing his hair.

            “Thanks for the help Newton. I swear I’ll probably need to get my blood pressure checked after today. Newton?”

            Newton was looking out past the bay. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon.

            “Good morning dudes! It’s time to go to sleep!” Newton gave them another dopey grin and stretched, yawing loudly.

            They started heading back towards their quarters, Newton walking slightly ahead of them, while Vanessa pushed Hermann in the wheel chair.

            “Vanessa?”

            “Yes, love?”

            “Can I apologize to you one more time?” Hermann tilted his head up and looked at her.

            “Nope. You’ve apologized too much today. No more apologies.”

            “Well, can I make a promise then?”

            “Sorry, no promises either. Too many promises and apologies today. The international emotional bank of Vanessa Gottlieb is currently accepting kisses, sweet nothings, and sonnets.” Hermann laughed, relieved to hear the smile in her voice.

            “Sorry about the pickles.”

            “I told you, no apologies!” Hermann turned his head up to rebut her, but she blew in his face instead.

            “Fine! Fine! No more apologies! I’m sor- I mean, I love you, my shining, beautiful queen!” He threw his hands up in surrender.            

            “No flattery, either!”

            “No flattery?! How could I not flatter the most intelligent, beautiful woman in all of the heavenly bodies? Aye me, let me sing the praises of Pallas Athena!”

            “Oh my god Hermann, shut up,” screamed Newton from ahead of them.

            “Oh so you’re allowed to scream all day about the kaiju, but I’m weird for praising over my wife?!”

            “When you’re a huge frickin’ dork about it, ya,” retorted Newton, sticking his tongue out at Hermann.

            “Whatever Newton: you throw shade all you want; you’ll never be as cool as Hermann and I,” asserted Vanessa, raising her head proudly. Hermann raised his fist up and Vanessa bumped her knuckles against his.

            “Hey! You can do a fist-bump now!” Newton was smiling unabashedly.

            “Vanessa’s been helping me practice,” nodded Hermann.

            Newton looked at Vanessa, who smiled warmly at him. And while Newton hadn’t drifted with her, he swore he could hear her thoughts.

            _Thanks for helping him break down the barriers._

            Newton waved and blew her a kiss. They walked through the lab entrance, and went towards his quarters.

            “’Night, dudes! Or, um, Morning, I suppose.” Vanessa and Hermann wished him a goodnights rest, and disappeared into their quarters. Vanessa helped Hermann into bed and crawled next to him.

            Hermann laid on his back. Sunlight was streaming through his tiny port window, highlighting the dust motes swirling in the air.

            “I’m glad you’re right beside me,” said Vanessa, wrapping her arms around him. Hermann pulled the blankets up around them. At that moment, in their dank little cell, in a Hong Kong bay, laying on a musty mattress with an itchy wool blanket covering them, Hermann had never felt more secure and at home. There were no fears, or worries, or anxieties: just a mathematician, a model, and their baby.

            “Me too.”

 


End file.
